Adjusting means for a variable drive planter



1962 K. B. SORENSEN ETAL 3,062,159

ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A VARIABLE DRIVE PLANTER Original Filed July 19,1956 Q. 1 R N e NK 9 E h SE s V NJ S WEB t R OJ h HR S BU 3 m WR KA Y B1962 K. B. SORENSEN ETAL 3,062,159

ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A VARIABLE DRIVE PLANTER Original Filed July 19,1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

FIG.6

INVENTORS. KNUD B. SORENSEN ARTHUR J. BJERKAN Nov. 6, 1962 K. B.SORENSEN EI'AL 3,062,159

ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A VARIABLE DRIVE PLANTER Original Filed July 19,1956 (w 3 R N O A 6 N 6 7 NER h W ESE a 0 VNJ S 3 .II N t 6 IR e 3 W O m5 G .R s l 6% 5 F DT FIG 3,062,159 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 3,062,159ADJUSTING MEANS FOR A VARIABLE DRIVE PLANTER Knud B. Sorensen, Waterloo,Iowa, and Arthur J. B erkan, Moline, Ill., assignors to Deere & Company,a corporation of Delaware Original applications July 19, 1956, Ser. No.598,854, now Patent No. 3,022,754, dated Feb. 27, 1962, and Oct. 25,1957, Ser. No. 692,415, now Patent No. 3,023,718, dated Mar. 6, 1962.Divided and this application Nov. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 855,297

2 Claims. (Cl. 111-85) This application is a division of our copendingapplication, Ser. No. 598,854, filed July 19, 1956, for Unit TypePlanter, now Patent No. 3,022,754, issued February 27, 1962, and ourcopending application, Ser. No. 692,415, filed October 25, 1957, forUnit Type Planter, now Patent No. 3,023,718, issued March 6, 1962.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements andmore particularly to planting means of the unit type, of which aplurality of such units are usually attached to a transversely disposedtoolbar or other support mounted on a tractor or the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is a provision ofa unit planter in which a press wheel is adjustably connected with themain body of the planting unit and is connected by suitable drive meansso that the press wheel serves not only as a press wheel, mountedrearwardly of the seed dispensing means, but also as a depth determiningmeans, and it is a further object of this invention to provide meanswhereby the press wheel drives the seed dispensing means through drivemechanism that is included in a housing that serves as an adjustable armpivotally or movably connecting the press wheel with the seed boot andassociated parts.

Another feature of this invention is a provision of new and improveddrive means whereby, with a minimum of auxiliary parts and a minimum ofhandling, a substantial number of different drive ratios between thepress wheel and the seed dispensing means is available. A furtherfeature of this invention is the provision of means whereby changes inthe drive ratio are accomplished through auxiliary sprockets, one ormore of which are maintained readily available for use within the presswheel drive housing.

Still further, an additional feature of this invention is the provisionof new and improved mounting means by which a seed boot and associatedparts are connected with the toolbar or other support through mechanismthat provides for an adjustable amount of down pressure, whereby toinsure the desired penetration of the furrow opening means, and it isalso a feature of this invention to provide new and improved springmeans whereby the effective amount of down pressure may readily beadjusted by an operator without the use of any tools, levers or thelike.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of adjusting meansassociated with the press wheel drive housing, whereby the position ofthe press wheel relative to the furrow opener boot may readily be madeand the depth of operation secured thereby clearly indicated.

An additional feature of this invention is the provision of an implementsupport in the form of a rockable bar in combination with an implement,such as a plurality of planting units, each having a furrow opener and arigidly connected gauge wheel spaced from the furrow opener, each unitbeing connected through parallel links, whereby rocking of the toolbarserves to adjust the relationship between the gauge wheel and theassociated furrow opener in all of the units.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the planter.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the hoppersupporting framecasting.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the press wheel arm casting.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an edge view of the press wheel arm casting shown in FIG. 4,with additional parts added.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the press wheel arm casting, showing the sameside as the side shown in FIG. 4, but with additional parts added.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the drive between theseeding shaft of the seed hopper and the press wheel shaft.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken through the press wheel, correspondinggenerally to a section taken along the line 99 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an end view of one of the sprocket-mounting parts.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 1111 of FIG.8.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the planting unit is shown as detachablymounted on a toolbar 11 that is square in cross section andconventionally is carried at the rear of the tractor for receiving aplurality of planting units. Preferably, the toolbar 11 is arranged onthe tractor with the bar in a diagonal disposition, one edge of the barbeing disposed in an uppermost position and the opposite edge in alowermost position. The planting unit includes a mounting bracket 12secured to the toolbar or support 11 by clamp means 13, and the plantingmeans includes a furrow opener boot 14, preferably in the form of acasting having a rear extension 16 adapted to hingedly receive a hopper17 in which conventional seed selecting means is disposed. Preferably,the hopper 17 includes a hopper bottom 18 having lugs 19 that areapertured to receive a hinge pin 21 that, when the hopper 17 is mountedin position on the furrow opener boot, is disposed in a notched opening22 formed in the rear portion of the furrow opener boot extension 16.The latter also includes a lower bearing section 23 on which a pair ofdisk furrow openers 24 are mounted for rotation, as by conventionalbearing means 25. A seed passageway 20 at the upper portion of thefurrow opener boot 14 receives seed from the dispensing means of thehopper 17 and conducts the seed downwardly into the furrow opened by thedisks 24. The furrow opener boot 14 also includes a transverse tubularsection 26 in which a cross shaft 27 is disposed for rotation. At oneend, the shaft 27 carries a pinion 28 that meshes with and drives aseeding gear 29 that, in turn, drives the seed dispensing means in thehopper 17. The means for driving the shaft 27 will be described below.

The furrow opener boot 1'4 and associated parts, including the hopper17, are mounted for relatively free floating movement with respect tothe support or toolbar 11 and to this end a pair of parallel links 31are provided for swingably connecting the furrow opener boot 14 with themounting bracket 12. Each of the link units 31 comprises a pair ofspaced apart bars. To receive the rear portions of the parallel linkunits 31, the furrow opener boot 14 is provided with upper and lowertransverse tubular extensions 51 and 52 by which pivot bolt means 53,extending through the rear apertured ends of the upper and lower links33 swingably mount the furrow opener boot 14 and associated parts on theupper or lower ends of the parallel link units 31.

According to the principles of the present invention, the press wheel,which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral "65, isemployed, not only to firm the soil about the planted seed, but also todetermine or control the depth of operation and, additionally, to drivethe seed dispensing means that forms a part of the planting unit. Thepress wheel 65 includes a rubber or flexible tread section 66, a websection 67, and a hub section 68 that is secured in any suitable way, asby a press fit, to one end of a press wheel shaft 69 (FIG. 9) that isjournaled for rotation in a press wheel bracket 72. The latter comprisesa plate-like structure having upper and lower slotted portions 73 and 74(FIGS. 6 and 7) formed with slots 75, 76 and 77, and a generallycentrally disposed tubular sleeve section 78 that receives the outerrace of the bearing means 71, the outer race being secured in thetubular bracket section 78 by a set screw 79 that extends into a groove79a formed in the outer bearing race. The bearing means and other partsare so constructed and arranged that the shaft 69 is held in the bracket72 against lateral displacement. The end of the shaft 69 opposite thepress wheel hub 68 carries, as by a press fit, a drive sprocket hub 176that is of special construction, having at its outer end a generallyoblong non-circular lug 177 that is adapted to receive an associatedsprocket 178 that is substantially flat, as shown in FIG. 9, having acentral aperture that fits non-rotatably over the lug 177. The lugportion 177 of the sprocket hub 176 is tapped and threaded to receive acap screw 81 that with associated washer 88 serves to hold the sprocket178 onto the shaft 69, but by removing the cap screw 81 and associatedwasher 80, the sprocket 178 may be removed and replaced by othersprockets, such as one of the sprockets shown at 78a and 78b (FIG. 8),for example, reference to which will be made in more detail below.

The press wheel 65 is adjustably connected with the furrow opener boot14 by adjustable support or arm mem ber 85 that, according to thepresent invention, is shiftable in concentric relation with respect tothe seeding mechanism drive shaft 27. The support 85 preferably takesthe form of a rigid generally longitudinally extending chain drivehousing having a back wall 86 and a continuous flange 87 forming sidewalls to which a housing cover 88 is adapted to be fixed, as by springfasteners 89. The rear or outer end of the chain drive housing 85 isformed with a generally fore-and-aft extending slot 92 through which thepress wheel shaft 69 and associated sprocket hub 176 are adapted toextend. This portion of the chain drive housing is also provided withthree openings 93 to non-rotatably receive the head portions ofconnecting bolts 94- that extend through the openings 93 and theassociated slots '75, 76 and 77 in the press wheel bracket 72. The slots7577 and 92 are of substantial length so that when the bolts 94 areloosened, the press wheel and its bracket may be adjusted generallylongitudinally of the drive housing or press wheel arm 85. The purposeof this arrangement will be referred to below.

The forward portion of the chain drive housing or press wheel supportingarm 85 is provided with a conically apertured section 96 (FIG. in theback wall 86 of a housing, and this portion of the drive housing isrockably mounted on a complementarily tapered end portion 97 of thetubular boss or sleeve section 26 formed on the furrow opener bootcasting 14. The opposite end of the transverse boot section 26 is alsotapered, as indicated at 98, and this portion is received in a conicalopening 99 (FIG. 6) formed on the forward end of a housing brace 102,the opposite end of which is extended vertically and apertured toreceive a pair of clamping bolts 103 that extend through openings 104formed in the back wall of the drive housing 85 and fix the brace 102 tothe housing 85 in such position that the conical opening 99 of the braceis in coaxial or aligned relation with respect to the tapered or conicalopening 96 in the forward end of the drive housing. A

portion of the drive housing brace 102 and the back wall of the housingare apertured, as at 186 and 107 respectively, to receive a tighteningbolt 108 (FIG. 1) which, when tightened, brings and holds the associatedtapered surfaces into cloSe fitting relation whereby the press wheel 65is rigidly connected with the associated furrow opening boot 14,although the arm or drive housing 85 may be swung in a generallyvertical direction to adjust the positon of the press wheel relative tothe associated furrow opennig boot. The seeding drive shaft 27 isdisposed for rotation in the tubular section 26 of the boot member 14(FIG. 3), the boot extension 26 having a shaft receiving opening 113therein and in which cylindrical bearing members 114- and 115 aredisposed. At one end, the shaft 27 receives the pinion 28 that drivesthe seeding gear 29 mentioned above. At the other end, the shaft 27 isthreaded and receives a driven sprocket hub 117 that is provided with anoblong extension or lug 118 dimensionally identical with the lug 177 onthe drive hub 176 that is fixed to the press wheel shaft 69. Thus, anysprocket that can be attached to the drive hub 176 may also be mountedon the driven sprocket hub 117. The latter is formed with a centralopening that permits attachment to the seeding drive shaft 27 and whichis tapped to receive a cap screw 119 that, with a washer 120, secures asprocket 127 to the shaft 27. A drive chain 121 is trained over thesprockets fixed to the press wheel shaft and the seeding shaft and formsmeans whereby rotation of the press wheel serves to drive the seedingmechanism. A thrust washer 122 is disposed between the inner end of thehub 117 and the adjacent portion of the tubular section 26.

Reference was made above to the feature of the present invention whereindifferent sprockets may be mounted on the press wheel shaft and seedingshafts to provide different drive ratios. To the end of providing for aconsiderable number of permissible ratios, the back wall 86 of the drivehousing is provided with a shallow recess 125 in the generally centralportion which a stud 126 is provided, the stud being oblong andcorresponding substantially identically to the shape of the lugs 177 and118 described above, except that the housing lug 126 is somewhat longer,whereby this lug is adapted to re ceive two auxiliary sprockets 78a and78b (FIG. 8) so as to have them available for substitution for eitherthe sprocket 178 on the press wheel shaft or the sprocket 127 on theseeding shaft. A cap screw 128 is screwed into a threaded opening 129formed in the central portion of the stud 126 for the purpose of holdingthe auxiliary sprockets 78a and 78b in the housing 85. Where differentdiameter sprockets are substituted it is neces- Sary to make acorresponding adjustment in the drive chain 121, and to that end allthat it is necessary to do is to loosen the bolts 94 and shift the presswheel bracket 72 to a position in which the drive chain 121 has therequisite tightness, and then tightening the bolts 94. Since, as bestshown in FIG. 8, the drive housing 85, mounting the press wheel 65 onthe furrow opener boot, is for most operating positions disposed at aslight angle to the horizontal, the slot 92 that is formed in the backwall at the rear portion of the drive housing 85 lies at a slight angleto the longitudinal axis of the member 85, thus disposing the slot in aposition generally par allel to the ground surface. This is for thepurpose of minimizing any variations in the depth of operation whendifferent sprockets are substituted for elfecting a change in the driveratio.

The depth of operation is determined by the position of the press wheel65 and the member 85 that connects the press wheel with the furrowopener boot. New and improved means is provided for making the depthadjustment, when necessary, and to this end an adjustable connectionbetween the drive housing 85 and the furrow opener boot is provided. Anarcuate extension 131 is formed on or carried by the housing member 85and is provided with a slot 132 on which is formed, on the outer sidethereof, a number of substantially equally spaced depth indicatinggraduations 133. Cooperating with the arcuate extension 131 is acombined link and pointer indicated generally at 135, this membercomprising a link member 136 apertured at one end to fit over the boltor pivot means 53 that connects the rear portion of the upper parallellink unit with the adjacent portion of the furrow opener boot 14. Theother end of the link 136 carries a pointer element 138 (FIG. 11) thatis fixed to the inner side of the link 136, extending over the head of acap screw 139 that at its threaded end extends through the slot 132,receiving a nut 141 and washer 142 disposed at the outer side of theslotted extension 131 on the drive housing 85. The screw 139 is shiftedinto different positions in slot 132, and when so shifted, the armmember 85 is disposed in different angular positions about its axis ofpivotal or swinging connection with the boot castings 14. The length ofthe link 136 and the disposition and configuration of the slot 132 aresuch that for uniform increments of change in the depth of operation,the pointer element 138, particularly the outer flattened end 143thereof, shifts generally uniformly along the graduated portion 133 ofthe arcuate sector 131. Preferably, the parts are so arranged that themovement of the pointer for a given change in the depth of operation isdimensionally the same as the actual change in planting depth.Tightening the nut 141 secures the housing 85 in the desired positionand thus provides uniform planting at the desired depth. The arm 136swings on the associated bushing 5401.

During the aforesaid adjustments the arm 85 swings about an axis thatcoincides with the axis of the shaft 27, and hence, when suchadjustments are made the sprocket and chain drive connections are notaffected in any way.

Cooperating with the furrow opening disks 24 is a scraper meansindicated in its entirety by reference numeral 150. Such means includesa scraper support 152 on which a scraper blade 153 is disposed. Theblade is a simple fiat plate having an opening to receive an attachingbolt 154 that extends through an opening in the associated scrapersupport. T 0 receive the scraper support 152, the furrow opener boot,adjacent the rear portion thereof, carries a transversely disposedsleeve-like lug.

Under certain soil conditions, and where otherwise desired, it may benecessary or advisable to provide a covering chain for dragging loosesoil over the packed-down area behind the press wheels 65. To this end,we provide the covering chain bracket 181 which is apertured to receivethe hook or attaching members 186 that are secured to and form the endportions of a covering chain 187. The latter is of such length that inoperation the covering chain trails along the ground rearwardly of theassociated press wheel and brings loose soil over the press wheel track.

While we have shown and described above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is tobe understood that our invention is not to be limited to the particulardetails, shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of ourinvention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a planting unit, the combination of a press wheel shaft, a furrowopener boot carrying seed dispensing means and a shaft to be driven foractuating said dispensing means, a drive housing having two ends,openings in said drive housing, one adjacent each end, to receive theadjacent ends of said shafts, drive means disposed within said housingand connecting said shafts, said housing being adapted to rotate aboutthe axis of said driven shaft, means connected to said housing normallydisposing said housing at an angle to a horizontal plane the end of saidhousing receiving said press wheel shaft having a slotted portion inwhich said press wheel shaft is shiftably received, and meansinterconnecting said press wheel shaft and said housing to adjustablymount said press wheel shaft in different positions of adjustment alongsaid slotted portion, the longitudinal axis of the slot in said portionbeing disposed at an angle, equal to the above mentioned angle, to thelongitudinal axis of said housing and so arranged as to be in asubstantially horizontal plane when the housing is in its normalposition, whereby fore-andaft adjustment between the housing and saidpress wheel shaft does not materially affect the depth of operation.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1, further characterized by saidpress wheel shaft mounting means comprising bracket means having asleeve section, in which the press wheel shaft is disposed for rotation,and a slotted plate-like portion adapted to be adjustably fixed to thedrive housing, and fastener means carried by the drive housing andextending through the slot means in said plate-like bracket portion foradjustably fixing said bracket means to said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS414,419 Lindsley Nov. 5, 1889 1,635,866 Townsend July 12, 1927 1,902,924Wamholf Mar. 28, 1933 2,745,330 Nelson May 15, 1956 2,774,318 JohnsonDec. 18, 1956 2,789,736 Agnoletto Apr. 23, 1957 2,955,550 Downey Oct.11, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 745,203 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1956

